6. Socio-psychological structure of the criminal group as a result of mutual aggression

The dependence of the socio-psychological structure of the conditions of occurrence of the criminal group.
Socio-psychological structure is the most important condition for the formation, development and successful functioning of the criminal group. In turn, the socio-psychological structure itself depends on a number of reasons, and, above all, the mechanisms and characteristics of the emergence of a criminal group. So, a criminal group can arise:
1) spontaneously - from persons previously little known among themselves;
2) as a result of the transformation of a friendly group into a criminal group;
3) especially for criminal activities - created by repeat offenders;
4) by recreating from among the former accomplices of the crime after they have served their criminal punishment or educational measures;
5) as a result of the action of any other reasons (provocation of a teenage group to commit a crime; playing on the baser instincts of minors, speculation on feelings of honor, dignity, loyalty to the word, partnership, etc.).
The development of the informal structure of a group follows the path of gradual formalization of intragroup relations (the emergence of relations of responsible dependence, subordination), the formation of a management body in the form of a group of persons headed by a leader (group core) with the distribution of organizational powers, functions of management, control, financial security stratification
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1 G. Podleskikh, A. Tereshonok. Thieves in law: Throw to power. M .: 1994.
2 N.Modestov. The specified work.
Podguretsky A. Essays on the sociology of law. M .: 1974, p. 200-212.
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participants in the group hierarchy, the distribution of the roles of perpetrators of B 'criminal activity and professionalization in it, the inclusion of the group in the criminal activity of a higher criminal group, and so on.
All these issues are solved in different ways depending on the way the group is formed. If a group has emerged as a criminal by chance and spontaneously, then the leadership is captured by a minor with certain advantages (the most experienced in criminal activity, "experienced", strong-willed, possessing exceptional physical strength, resourceful, dodgy, aggressive, cynical, able to subjugate others, enjoying authority in a criminal environment, having patrons from among criminal authorities, etc.). In this case, for the leadership can go a fierce struggle between several criminals. The victory is largely determined not only by the personal qualities of the applicant, but also by the number of his supporters, the support of "thieves' authorities" or the mob.
If a criminal group has arisen as a result of the transformation of a friendly group into a criminal group, then it can preserve the previously established leadership, the most influential core, as well as the existing group hierarchy and the distribution of roles that are transferred to criminal activity, for example, moral leadership, control functions, and care. about the material well-being of the group, the "showdown" of interpersonal conflicts, etc.
Another thing is when a group is specially created for criminal activities by repeat offenders, they determine both the leader and the most influential core of the group around him, usually selected by the same parameters that were considered above. These individuals are provided with outside support in winning and retaining the corresponding status in the group. Specially selected for the criminal "qualifications" of the group, taking into account the upcoming criminal activity. Pre-allocated roles in criminal activity. Characteristic in this respect are criminal groups of gadders, apartment thieves, racketeers, and others.
No matter how a criminal group emerges, when analyzing its socio-psychological structure, it is necessary to proceed from the principle of the activity approach adopted in Russian psychology. It is criminal activity that becomes the main group-forming factor of a criminal group.
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Different types of criminal activity require different personal and physical qualities. In some cases, resourcefulness, ability for manipulative actions are required, in others - strength, arrogance, ingenuity, cunning, etc.
When recreating a group of former accomplices in a criminal activity, its former structure can also be recreated if none of its members were compromised during the investigation and trial. It is quite possible to recreate it in a different socio-psychological structure due to the expulsion of its individual accomplices due to cooperation with law enforcement agencies or violation of other “laws” of the criminal world, which, of course, leads as a result of “disassembly” to changing the status of its participants and updating leadership. It happens that someone from the group goes away to create a criminal group "for themselves", enriched by criminal experience "in the zone".

The relationship of aggression and leadership in a criminal group.

Leadership is the core process of organizing criminal group behavior. The leader is designed to ensure the interaction of the group as a whole organism, the effectiveness of criminal activity and the vitality of the group. The leader enjoys the greatest influence in the group, he has the greatest number of contacts in the group, he represents a criminal group in the criminal world.
For adolescent criminal groups in the system of organized crime is characterized by the coalescence of informal and kind of formal leadership. According to the laws of the underworld, the leader has great rights and is endowed with powers that stipulate various “orders” and “rules”. That leader belongs to the highest "legislative" and "judicial" power. As a rule, he acts as the initiator of the "showdown", and the highest arbiter in the group.
The personality traits of a leader determine not only the nature of interpersonal relations in a group, but also the nature of the crimes committed. It is known that the leader is a “experienced” person in a criminal group, who usually has a long record of criminal activity, is a carrier of a strong “evil” will, has uncommon organizational skills, is cruel, cynical, quirky, able to subjugate others, having support in the criminal world. Important factors affecting the conquest of leadership in a criminal group are: recidivism (number of convictions) and the duration of the total period spent in isolation, the prestige of the criminal qualification of the candidate for leadership, the presence in the criminal group of accomplices in past crimes, “homies” on the joint serving of punishment that could support the adolescent's claim to leadership. Considerable importance in adolescent and youth criminal communities is the age of the applicant for leadership. As a rule, the leader is older than members of his group for 1-3 years, although there were cases when the criminal community was headed by the youngest member of the group. At first, in the struggle for leadership in the event of a criminal group, physical strength plays a significant role. However, later, when the group was formed, physical strength can recede into the background. Often, a criminal group is ruled by not physically strong, but possessing rich criminal experience, a cunning, resourceful teenager, having “bodyguards” (from accelerator morons) and, of course, supported by an adult mafia.
Often, to gain leadership in the criminal community, adolescents commit extraordinary, from the standpoint of common sense, actions. This may be cynicism and extreme cruelty towards "strangers" and weaklings, unbridled vandalism, animal abuse, etc. The meaning of such actions is to intimidate competitors for leadership, "catch up with fear" on ordinary members of the group. Having led a criminal group, such a leader seeks to implant a group "code of honor", mutual assistance, loyalty to the group, mutual responsibility, etc. The type and type of aggressive behavior of the group depends on it.
The leader performs the following functions:
- plans the criminal activities of the group;
- determines the ways and means of achieving the goal;
- coordinates the activities of the group in the preparation, commission of a crime and the “covering-up” of traces, as well as during the investigation and trial;
- controls the main channels of information and internal communications of group members;
- represents the group in the underworld;
- encourages and punishes members of the group;
- performs the functions of arbitration and mediation.
Practically the leader performs the same social and psychological functions as the leader of any small group1, but, so to speak, in the criminal, variant. It is the leader that determines the nature and effectiveness of criminal activity, the level of its cruelty, as well as the persistence of a criminal group.
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1 See Parygin B.D. Fundamentals of socio-psychological theory. M .: 1971.
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Insidiousness, cruelty, boldness, cynicism, sophistication of the crimes committed by a group are determined by the personality characteristics of the leader. From his forethought, caution, clarity of the distribution of functions between members of a group depends on the duration of the criminal group, the effectiveness of its activities. And of course, the authority of a leader is determined by the authority of a criminal group in the criminal world.
Changes taking place in the underworld affect the selection process of leaders. Only adolescents and young men who respond to the nature of modern youth crime become leaders in this status in criminal groups.
Thus, the character of the personality of the leader of a criminal group is determined by the nature of modern youth crime, and the leader, in turn, determines the nature of the crimes committed by the criminal group. Indeed, in the face of tightening crime, the importance of cruelty as a personal quality leader increases. The growth of organization and the further professionalization of juvenile delinquency require a leader of high organizational skills, extensive criminal experience, high professionalism in the preparation and commission of crimes. The entry of juvenile and youth crime into the international arena requires corresponding qualities from the leader: the ability to analyze the criminal situation in a particular country, find the most advantageous options for criminal actions, ways and means of ensuring the security of group members, knowledge of foreign languages ​​and international law, etc. . With the growth of organized professional crime, the role of intellectual qualities of a leader increases. The tightening of morals in the underworld has also affected the leaders, among whom the qualities of a person inclined to lawlessness, unbridled cruelty and cynicism are becoming increasingly important.
The leader is the central figure of modern organized crime. It is not by chance that the bosses of organized crime pay so much attention to the selection and training of future juvenile crime leaders.
To this end, significant funds are deducted for training future criminal leaders in the country's higher education institutions and in foreign universities. According to the available information, the most popular among mafia structures are legal, economic, psychological faculties, and computer science faculties. Mafiosi send there not only their children, but also the next of kin. So, the head of the mafia clan Chernomor instructs his entourage: "And for all those who have children, grandchildren, nephews, they have to think about learning!" - "And who to learn? - asked the astute Lame?" “To a lawyer! Do not follow life, you want to live in the old way,” he reproached ... Give forty-five lemons, and in five years you will receive a diploma, and please - all roads are open: the police, the prosecutor’s office, the court. you can get out with a legal diploma: the administration, the legislative assembly, where else? .. It’s not bought, our people are completely theirs! It’s quite another thing! ’1